Modular phones really never stood a chance

Just four months after Google announced they were going to work on a developer model for the end of this year and a consumer model sometime in 2017, the program was laid to rest. And really, is anyone surprised? The deck was stacked against them since the idea was born.

The idea itself is great. Forget the folks who say they will carry around different cameras or different speakers or different anything because those will end up just being one more thing left on a dresser after a few weeks. But Google's example of an insulin monitor that can be plugged in when you need to test your blood is awesome, and I'm sure smart people had ideas of other ways it could actually be useful. That's how some great ideas are born — think big and sort the details out later. But back to reality for a bit.

Great ideas and practicality seldom mix.

Phones and other small electronic things that use embedded hardware are pretty specific when it comes to the software that powers it. Writing the software and optimizing the code for a very specific set of components is mandatory. You have limited storage and limited power so you're forced to use both very efficiently. Writing the software so that it can support more than one part for a single function would make that very difficult. It could be done, and Google may very well have a solid plan to make it work. Google isn't the only company involved, though.

Android might be open source software, but the open portions can't be used to write a working operating system. The people who make things like the processor or the camera or the memory controller will have some very model-specific software need to make them work. Without these files, your phone just isn't going to work. A modular phone would not only need software support from Google but from the companies who make each individual part, too. And then those companies will need to be convinced to allow Google to redistribute that software as a downloadable package. And we already have seen how a single company can bring things to a screeching halt when it doesn't like that idea, as Qualcomm held back needed software for the Nexus 7 2013 Lollipop update. Things can get a little ugly. Good people can quit their job in frustration.

Software support comes from many different companies.

Now multiply that situation by the number of companies who build the parts that fit into one of the six slots on the Ara chassis. Suddenly, unoptimized software that takes a lot of storage space isn't such a big issue.

We aren't sure why the project was scrapped, and I'm not saying this was the reason. But this would be a pretty big stumbling block and I don't think even Google could work around it. Other folks in the "industry" that I've talked to feel similar, and we even heard some doubt about the project's future at Google I/O 2016 as the news of Project Ara's future was being announced.

Other companies are still going to work on a modular phone. One day someone will succeed and make one we can buy.

Reader comments

Modular phones really never stood a chance

They killed it most likely NOT due technical roadblocks, but business considerations. Since PROFIT MOTIVE is KING in capitalism it dictates what gets promoted and what not. I see many great ideas and implementations killed off because they are not as profitable as something deliberately designed to last only a single cycle. This "economy" is driven by fast consumption cycles thus forcing everyone to upgrade. Things are obsolete for no other reason than to keep the cash flowing in. No surprise here, I expected no less.

Android was a pre-existing operating system, and can't be adapted this way, you need to build an OS for modular use from the ground up to avoid issues, it's a 10-years-from-now concept/product, but this was a nice power cycling of the idea I guess.

I used to like when Nokia made crazy looking phones and really put themselves on the line. It seems nobody wants to do that much anymore and this project was really great considering it was one of those big things that hardly anybody does. I'm disappointed that it didn't happen.

Don't talk today me about capitalism either. Google should go private. **** the shareholders (even though I'm indirectly one of them). I'd rather see an innovative company than one concerned with profits primarily.

That last phrase in the article is ridiculous: "Other companies are still going to work on a modular phone. One day someone will succeed and make one we can buy."
A modular phone already exists and has existed for quite a while. It's the Fairphone. https://www.fairphone.com/

The concept was nice in theory, but the reality is that you either ended up with a phone that was too ugly for mainstream acceptance or as they scaled back the project, one that didn't add enough flexibility.

The second generation of LG and Moto phones might make the whole concept a more appealing one as they learn from their mistakes in their initial releases.

That's a shame, because our current system pushes for extreme consumerism with too-frequent upgrade cycles, which have serious strains on natural resources and the environment. We need a systemic change.

I don't know anything about manufacturing, but when I first heard about this I thought it was going to be internal parts you could "choose/swap" at point of purchase. Like, pay a bit more for a faster SOC. Decide whether you want a 1080p or 4k screen. Larger battery capacity options. Upgraded GPU, etc. That kind of thing. Probably unrealistic and cost prohibitive, but it would have been neat to have that kind of granular control over your smartphone order.

I guess the real test if there's a significant enough market for modular phones is the Moto Z. It beat Ara to market so it makes sense to sit and wait, especially if research thinks this may not be a huge enough hit for ROI.

I will throw one more reason in the mix. In my previous job we designed high volume widgets (the product doesn't matter). Our customers always wanted modular widgets at the cheapest price possible. Modular always costs more than integrated devices. Those connectors and additional attachment points aren't free. When faced with the cost, our customers always chose price over a modular design. You can purchase a really good phone for sub $400 these days and a decent phone for $200. No way a modular design will ever touch those price points.

I was extremely interested in this phone,but I probably wouldn't have bought it,just because I honestly hate buying things that I find myself putting more money into. Sort've like buying a game and suddenly spending twice as much on DLCs because nobody else is playing the on disc material. It's a great idea that adds plenty of extended value to a product,but I would in all honesty rather completely upgrade my phone after time instead've just parts.

I'm so upset over this. I could of seen this being a huge hit in the medical field if you could equip it with the right sensors. But now my hopes are dashed....
Though if we are going to have flexible phones, they can't be modular.
I also like my phone being waterproof, I don't see how it that could of been implemented. Seems like sony and Samsung are the only ones making high end waterproof phones. I wish more manufacturers would do this.

I actually had really high hopes for a true "modular" device. A reality where I could purchase a device with a certain screen size and from then onwards swap out cameras, storage, processors ect when now ones come along. Such a pity.

I never thought they had a chance. The single most important argument is that those devices would have been a lot thicker than any other currently on the market and nobody wants a thick brick, unless it's got a lot of battery. F2ck modular, we want moar battery!!

Rather have a big fat pixel XL anyway... I'm pretty sure they should perfect the smart phones we have now, before working on a Lego phone. I would love to have 1 but I don't think it would be awesome for quite a while. Let's just get a beautiful phone made out of top quality aluminum.. can't we just start there. Cause the 6p was some bullish aluminum....

Enjoy your new smaller Pixel XL, they will never perfect the smartphone otherwise there would be nothing to sell I. The next 12months.

The modular device if it was viable would have this same issue, who's going to keep buying parts if they just buy the ones they want / need ?

Smartphones are a compromise every release this makes it better so they can sell a slightly better version next year, however googles shot its self.in the foot with the so called Pixel and Pixel XL.

Why the hell should I drop down screen size for a garishly bright toy looking device that they will charge us extra because the CPU is 10% faster and the OS is more bloated so they can slap on another 150 to the prices tag to get 9quintillion gigs of ram . .

A utility belt is not a good look for anyone but batman and workers in certain fields that require tools at the ready. Smartphones will evolve to do more things, but this will be built into the phone, just as fingerprint scanners, DACs, retina scanners, etc have been.

And the analogy was still terrible. A modular phone isn't really analogous to a tool belt. And if they are, so are normal phones... It's just an argument against bring able to choose what tools you carry versus carrying only the ones someone else thinks you'll need.

To me, the best reason for going modular would be to isolate the 'phone' part of a smartphone into a module that you only have to buy once. That's the part that changes the least - plus it's the part with all the patented technology. Why else are tablets so much cheaper than smartphones - it's not just the miniturization costs. So, if you're going to have to pay an arm and a leg to license telephony patents, buy a module that you can snap into your latest ultra-portable computer, which you can in turn update whenever you want a technology refresh.

As far as adding unique capabilities, Motorola's done a pretty interesting job of that. The only problem with Moto's approach is that they've picked a huge profile device as their template, and are now locked in to that profile for future devices - unless they want to obsolete the modules people have shelled out for.

as the pig said (lol) phone are pricier because people want them and for no other reason. Some of these phone cost as little as 100 bucks to produce. picture this: a tv with a 50 inch screen cost half a 65 in screen. those extra 15 inches of screen and plastic/metal for the housing dont cost double but a consumer who wants a 65 in screen will have to pay it.

I was actually waiting for these phones. Even if they were half-baked. I can't seem to find a replacement for my Nexus 6. I am looking for some kind of innovative phone and modular phones seemed to be it. I tried the S7E because of the screen but radio signal is too weak and had to sell it. /Rant

It appears that the Moto Z Play could be the first affordable modular cell phone. But the phone is too big for my liking. I have a Droid Turbo 2 and I feel that phone is just a tad too big and the Moto Z's are even larger.

Im doing the same thing, waiting for the 2016 Pixel comes out (or whatever its called) causing the Nexus 6p to drop in price and leting me buy that for cheaper. Unless the 2016 really wows me (which i doubt) and is worth the extra price then i'll be getting the 128GB Frostbite N6P